Watching our babies grow is one of the most exciting and heartbreaking things, right?! As moms, we always want what’s best for our kiddos, which is why keeping track of your baby’s milestones is important. In doing so, you’ll be able to stay up-to-date with making sure your baby is on track and can take action if necessary should there be any red flags (don’t worry, we’ll go over this below)!
Every baby’s milestone timeline is unique.
Before I dive into 3 to 6-month milestones, remember that every child is unique, and so is their development. It’s often easy to compare babies to others, so remember to focus on YOUR BABY and provide an environment to help them THRIVE! Developmentally, kiddos can fluctuate when they hit milestones, which can sometimes cause moms stress. You may notice your child hits a milestone early or is a little late, and honestly, mama, either one of these is fine! But what about when it’s not fine? So glad you asked!
If you notice any red flags, such as severe delay, complications, abnormalities, or your child is not hitting certain milestones, reach out to your pediatrician or healthcare provider. There are many things that early interventionists or therapists can do to help your baby thrive. Understanding and knowing baby milestones are important to help you stay on top of proper development and the well-being of your kiddo!
Tiny personalities are emerging!
And speaking of well-being, isn’t the 3- to 6-month stage so fun?! Your sweet baby should start developing a little personality and is beginning to increase in all of their developmental skills, including communication, mobility, strength, and cognitive development.
As moms, it’s easy for us to rush through this season, but remember, motherhood is such a short and fleeting season! Take every day to truly embrace the magic of motherhood and the amazing miracle that your sweet baby is! I’ve embraced this mindset with my babies, which has helped me be more present and involved.
Now let’s get to those 3 to 6 months milestones, mama!
Baby Milestones: 3 to 6 Months Old
Speech and Communication
- Cooing
- Babbles
- Exploration of different sounds
- Turns head to noise or sound
Social + Emotional
- Smiles
- Improved eye contact
- Giggles (cutest ever, right?!)
- Some reading of facial expressions
- Improved interaction and engagement with others
- Shows a preference for cause-and-effect toys
- Shows a preference for people and surroundings
- Typically happy and can calm with sensory input like snuggling, rocking, soft sounds, and comfort from a caregiver
Physical/Gross Motor
- Beginning to lift chest and head off the floor while laying on tummy
- Rocking on stomach
- Begins to roll over (back to tummy and tummy to back)
- Begins to use their hands for support while sitting
- Can sit alone
- Begins to stand with support and can distribute weight in both legs
Fine Motor
- Identifies fingers and hands
- Starts to grasp objects (like a rattle!)
- Begins to reach for objects
- Begins to use both hands at midline
- Can transfer objects between hands
Feeding
- Begins to show a preference for foods
- May start to tolerate purées
- Able to sit supported in a chair for feeding
- Improved oral motor control to move food from the front of the mouth to the back
Remember, mama! Milestones are a marker, and every child will develop at a different rate. Use this as a guide to keep yourself and your baby on track. Knowing key milestones and taking early action if something is off is important for addressing delays and optimizing intervention outcomes.
Continue encouraging optimal development.
As you continue to learn about your baby and milestones, take action to help your baby thrive! To create an optimal environment for development, try these ideas:
- Talk to your baby frequently.
- Snuggle
- Offer toys
- Sing
- Play games
- Read to your baby
- Follow their cues
- Read more ways to engage with your baby
Trust your intuition, and above all, enjoy every minute of this 3 to 6 months time period! Sending you all the love, mama!
